Life buoy or preserver



(No Model!) J. GRANT.

LIFE BUOY 0R PRESERVER. No. 440,088. r Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

715520038 e s I 7271070107:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GRANT, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LIFE BUOY OR PRESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,088, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed June 13, 1890. Serial No. 355,337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GRANT, of

of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life Buoys or Preservers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in life buoys or preservers; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a life buoy or preserver which is to be thrown to persons overboard, and which is adapted to either be attached to the person or used as a boat.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a life buoy or preserver which embodies my invention, the parts being shown partly separated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the buoy, showing it opened out so as to form a boat. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the buoy when opened.

A represents the two parts of the buoy, which are longitudinal sections of an oval, as shown, and which are made of cork or any other suitable light material and hinged at their lower ends and provided with the weights M, which are secured to their inner lower ends in any suitable manner, so as to set upright in the water. These two parts when closed are fastened at their upper ends by means of the hook B and an elastic band or other similar catch 0, which is provided with a hand-piece D, so as to enable the catch to be quickly released from the hook by the person floating in the water and to whom the buoy is thrown. To each of the parts A'on its outer side is attached a loop G, to enable a person in the water to catch hold of the buoy and to enable the buoy to be freely carried around. In the inner side of each part A is made a suitable groove H, and into the upper end of this groove is inserted a flag staff or rod I, which projects any suitable distance above the buoy, so as to attract attention to it when thrown overboard and to attract attention to a person floating in the water upon the buoy. The lower end of this rod or staff is provided with a ring J, and through this ring is passed a cord or wire L, which is fastened at its ends to the inner side of one of the parts A. This flag can be turned up on end when the buoy is opened so as to form a boat and thus attract attention.

Fastened to the inner side of each of the parts of the buoy is an elastic strap 0, which serves both as a means for attaching the buoy to the person in the water and as a means for holding the two parts A in a straight line with each other when these parts are opened out to their full extent for the purpose of forming a boat.

These buoys can be made of any size desired and be made of cork or some similar light material that will readily support a person in the water. Owing to the fact that they set upright in the water and are provided with a flag or other similar device for attracting attention, they can be seen for a long distance away.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- I. A life-preserver consisting of two longitudinal sections of an oval form having weights at and hinged together at their lower ends and a catch at their upper ends, substantially as shown and described.

2. A life-preserver consisting of two longitudinal solid sections of an oval form having a longitudinal groove upon their inner faces, hinged together and weighted at their lower ends, and a catch or fastening at their upper ends, substantially as specified.

3. In alife-preserver, the combination, with two longitudinal sections hinged together at one of their ends and weights secured thereto at their hinged ends, of a strap which has its ends connected to each section upon opposite sides of the hinge, substantially as shown.

4. A life-preserver consisting of two longitudinal sections hinged together at one of their ends and weights secured thereto at their hinged ends, whereby they are adapted to be opened out in a line with each other to form a boat, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH GRANT. 

